While aviation can produce beautiful and exciting images that thrill people and cause them to be amazed by views never seen before, rarely do kids have an opportunity to paint their dreams on the side of someone’s airplane. But that’s exactly what will happen Saturday and Sunday at the California International Airshow, courtesy of the nonprofit addiction prevention organization SafeLaunch. Members of the public ages 8-18 will be invited to paint their dreams of a healthy future on the sides of retired Navy Commander Ron Cuff’s Cessna. After the show, their art will take flight.

Ron Cuff explains; “SafeLaunch was founded Janet Rowse and myself once we learned that 90% of addiction starts in adolescence, that it’s treatable but not curable, and that kids are up to six time more at risk than adults. I have a pen, a smart device and a plane, so we went to work on a creative plan to get the word out to parents and community leaders.”

Based out of Santa Barbara, this will be the 14th “Flights Above Addiction” event sponsored by SafeLaunch donors. Prior to picking up a paintbrush, kids select a career path (or two or three), and pledge to abstain from alcohol tobacco and other drugs until age 21. Co-founder and co-pilot Janet Rowse emphasizes the importance of primary prevention, “Parents, teachers, coaches and other adults must do everything they can to keep kids away from drugs and alcohol because the disease of addiction kills 40,000 Americans every year by overdose alone. We invite everyone to pledge to do all that they can to ensure that the dreams envisioned by youth can come true”.